Unacceptable!!! Completely unacceptable, but I have been saying this for awhile. I started a post about this very subject months ago: http://destee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22119
Indeed, I don't even need an article telling me that immigrants are replacing...displacing African Americans in the workforce because I see it happening on a daily basis. Reducing immigration has to be very high on our political agenda. If immigrants continue to displace black labor at its current rate, African Americans might find ourselves in a position that we might have to emmigrate to somewhere else (I'm already reaching that point)!

Me and a friend were just discussing this.....and I've seen it first hand....I live in California (the bay area)....the land of immigrants..... all they have to do is illegally come here and have babies which allows them to stay here .....then we all wonder why the state of california is in such a financial crisis....and why there are no jobs available.....basically I feel like I'm the one in a foreign country...surrounded by large numbers of Asians, hispanics, and indians.....and the majority that I know or hear speaking, have very heavy accents, evidence that they were not born here or their parents werent.....it really pisses me off that this is one of the major reasons for alot of the US financial problems.....

I was recently involved in a junior achievement day where I volunteered to teach an elementary class. The topic of the lesson was the community which included voting. So I mention that their parents would be voting soon in the upcoming election as an example. Then the teacher quickly reminded me that most of their parents cant vote....they are not citzens.....and the majority of the class was foreign...the one white girl was the minority...and of course their were no blacks.....the US need to close the borders at least for some period of time and stop illegal immigration.....

YES VERY TRUE
it's like we as people being pushed out as many of them moving into the U.S
taking all the jobs and the gov. really don't care they allow this we have millions
of illegal immigration going on they just not long ago when into the corp. of
wal-mart nation sweep and found thousands of the illegal working as night crew
workers ....i agree they need to really focus on the real issues at hand

Poetic flow, Poetry of a poet! Be a Premium member today and enjoy all the fruits .

I'm sorry to say, but it seems that We facilitate much of this problem.

1. No, We did not create it; how could We, the "powers" that We have, We don't use for nothing. Please.

2. From the impotents that We put in office... and have let and continue to let do nothing for US. They are linking the issues of illegal and legal immigrants to Us. And We get used-defactorily; while at the same time being displaced. They are leading them in marches on Washington, while Our families have to fight to stay alive. Reconsider voting out many Black officials; especially congressional impotents. Yes, I still love them; I love them and myself enough to know that they are of no Use; and to have them there symbolically will get Us nowhere.
Because I know that with many of Us the sun doesn't shine unless White folk say that it does; just what the hell do you think that they are doing? Did you know that they are hearing arguments right now on this law suit against George Bush because of what they see as his conspiracy to hurt them? What do you think that the lawsuit against Tyson chicken is all about?

3. I found out that immigrants get low rate loans to open stores in Our communities--"combat zone entrepreneurs"-- a colleague jokingly told me; but it is not a joke. And We facilitate it by flip-flopping right on in! We give away Our money, Our pride---easily; and they sure as hell don't put that money in the community, and they will kill you before they live around you...but your money is green and that's all that matters--Sometimes We are N's!

While the time is nigh; and We are seeing more African-American stores and businesses opening, for once We better take heed and do What We All Know is Right- Stop killing and hurting each other; and if you can't love yourself and your brothers and sisters, at least help them-and you. All you have to do is look at Asians to see how this kind of defacto xenophobia can and does work.

Closing U.S. borders may be one solution to address the population and economic issues we are faced with, but it's not one that will happen anytime soon, in my opinion.

The reason I think that way is because the U.S.'s economic base is benefitting too much financially from immigration. It would be interesting to see the comparison between what it costs us as taxpayers to support immigrants versus the wealth they generate in the U.S. economy. I wonder if they make the U.S. richer by comparison to what it costs to provide them with health-care benefits, welfare, etc.

Sometimes I think there is a virtual squeeze play going on in the job market today due to the lax approach the U.S. officials take to immigration. For instance,when the Berlin Wall was destroyed under the Reagan administration, a herd of highly skilled Europeans were invited to come here to live and work, thereby creating a shrinking job market for U.S.-born citizens in the skilled job market. Immigrants from countries where their predecessors have demonstrated a strong work ethic relative to self-employment and creating small businesses (i.e., Asia), as Sister happy said earlier, are allowed to come and get low interest rate loans to open stores, particularly in our neighborhoods which stimulates the economy. In the middle of this are African Americans, many who have college degrees and can't find jobs and most who spend what they earn working for others, in stores owned by recent immigrants.

The wealthy, including many businesses are benefitting from paying low wages to immigrants. For more than 25 years, American corporations have proven their allegiances to the American workforce are equal to their profit statements. If paying immigrants low wages, even less than minimum wage standards here in the US will increase a company's profit margin, then they will shut down in the high rent district and move their businesses to locations where they can get away with this type of business operation, leaving ghost towns and high unemployment in their wake.

And not all the money that immigrants make in the U.S. STAYS here in the U.S. Many of these people send a large portion of their money back to their places of national origin to help their families and communities left behind. So that depletes the cash flow here in the U.S.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing for immigrants to do because actually I think it's very smart, loyal and committed of them to do this. So we shouldn't "hate" on people that have their acts together and seem to know how to survive in an increasingly hostile world. But what we, as African Americans, should be doing is learning as much as we can, doing what we know we can, and getting off our butts waiting for the other shoe to drop then shuffling around with our hands stuck out begging for crumbs.

How difficult is it to not shop in the stores located in our communities that aren't owned by us and where people don't trust or like us? Do you think this is unlike anything others don't do? Of course not. Look at the Jews and who they buy from. Look at the Koreans and Chinese and who they buy from. Look at the Cubans and Mexicans and where they shop from. We shop anywhere and everywhere, it doesn't seem to matter to us or if it does matter, we complain but don't do anything about it. We are always waiting for someone else to open the local stores or businesses in our communities and when we do, we drive right past it and go buy from someone else. Why is that?

Sisters, when you want your hair weaved (or is it woven?), where do you think your phony hair comes from? Or look at who does your nails. Why continue to do this--because you think you can afford to? They claim to have a shortage of registered nurses in the U.S. so what do they do? They import more nurses from England and Vietnam. When you have a taste for Chinese food, where do you go to get it? When you feel like Italian food, where do you get it from? Did you know that some of the best chefs in Italian restaurants are Black? Those of you in the southwestern part of the U.S., how much influence do Mexicans have on the culture there? Who makes the car that you drive and where were the parts made? Who do you rent from? Look at what the Cubans were able to do in Miami, the Asian population in San Francisco, the Irish and Italians on the northeast coast. When you think of our "community" what comes to your mind and why?

Why aren't politicians really cracking down on immigration laws? Well, I believe we got a small glimpse at one of the reasons why during the first term of the Clinton administration when a few people he was trying to appoint to political positions were discovered to be using illegal immigrants as employees in their homes. That scandal died down rather quickly though but I'd venture to say that the practice hasn't stopped. Do you think some politicians might be getting "paid" not to push the INS to make stricter rules on immigration?

What can the grassroots citizen of African decent do to protect ourselves as much as possible from being shut out and down? Quit spending your money indiscriminately in just any store. Start looking for stores owned by us, demanding quality products and service and helping to protect them from vandalism and theft. Start community organizations like a "city council" of African Americans and invite Black teachers, church leaders, our city officials including local police, bankers and entrepreneurs to participate in creating and building a community plan that is about and FOR African Americans. Start finding ways to pool our financial resources to fund budding entrepreneurs. We don't need to learn how to spend, we need to learn how to invest.

We should strenthen our local Urban League programs to help them help us to become more trained in job skills that are in demand and to open up businesses in our communities. Demand that they teach basic skills in accounting, how to start our own businesses and market products to our community and community at-large.

We need to re-think what we expect from some of our clergy and allow them to do. Many of our Black clergy lead these monstrous churches catering to heart and spirit of the Black community, making millions of dollars a year, driving the latest and most expensive cars and living in million dollar homes while at the same time many of the people in their congregation and outside the churches are in need of not only their spiritual guidance and leadership but also their financial gain. How many times does the collection plate have to be passed during a service and how many times do we need to show these "pastors" our appreciation? I struggle with this.

Immigration is but only one other issue that we have to deal with as African Americans and as citizens of the U.S. But no matter what the problems are that we face, the solutions always seem to come down to the same thing and that is for us to do whatever it takes thrive and survive.

Excellent Observations Queen!
I know that you, I, Pan Africa, and a few others have talked this talk so much before. I think that We should respectfully, disassociate ourselves with other groups. In this I mean, no one use this as leverage to gain political fame or favors. We need to learn to shut-up sometimes (and not tell everyone Our business); and just do.

I agree with one of Queens assessments wholeheartedly- the borders are not going to be closed any time soon. So, what is it that We should do? We have to come together as a Unit...and JUST DO IT. We have to pose questions to Our Communities that are designed to make them think.

I have never had a professional pedicure or manicure in my life- mainly because I have always and continue to feel that I am not going to pay for something that I can do for myself. I feel that same way- call me crazy, but I have never eaten at subway for the same reasons... if I want a cold-cuts sandwich couldn't I go to the store and buy all the ingredients and have many sandwiches for the price of what I give them. I love Chinese food... and a couple of years when I came to the conclusion that I was giving my money to people who only dealt with themselves and were sometimes hostile to mine (Af-Am peoples): I got several chinese cookbooks...one is so difficult it gives me a headache; but the things I really enjoy- I can make myself. I don't buy mexican food out- but that is just because I think Taco Bell is disgusting and I can cook it better... I don't go into any Asian convience stores... waste of money anyway. Some of you should revisit the "From Chains to Fools" article I pasted the link for here.

Again, you don't have to advertise what We are doing-that is a common suckers move looking for favor- what We need to do is educate ourselves; research... (I no longer buy Tyson chicken (and I do think that they are the best). I got another question to pose... coming in new thread.